Time to put an end to the Qualifiers, on the way to Qatar 2022. A journey of ups and downs, of teams that are already thinking about everything related to going to the Middle East in December, others point to 2026. Three are in battle , to reach the playoffs and continue with enthusiasm.
That is the case of Colombia. The results brought her to the last date, between the irregularity, the disconnection of the idea of the strategist and the soccer on the field, to be further away from Qatar 2022. Venezuela is playing more than a game and the closure of another disastrous qualifier, but, with the illusion of the process that Don José started. It is the possibility of leaving the tricolor buried, surely, with the goodbye of a generation that shone in the past years.
From the brother country, the expectation is high. The crossing between Venezuela and Colombia goes beyond sports, because of the history between the two ‘sister’ nations.
One of those who knows what it is to lead in this type of tournament, in addition to having a stint in Colombian soccer, is Richard Páez. The strategist spoke with FUTBOLRED, about what the match between the two countries will be, the shortcomings of those from Rueda on the field and the lesson they must learn for the future.
Vision of what will be Venezuela vs. Colombia
A match with the context of being definitive for Colombia, in the option of achieving the playoff, as long as the result is given in Lima. The obligation belongs to Colombia, which arrives in need, to win, it arrives with that focus, of concentration, intelligent. They will find Venezuela, which has left the fans disappointed. Out of pride, mysticism, out of the desire to be a competitive player, he wants to leave a face that the Pékerman process has hope.
I see the game there. One with the hope of leaving a better future, the other must win so as not to be left out of the World Cup.
Start of the Pékerman process, in the strategic part
It comes with a vision, with the culture of logic. In the match against Bolivia, a Venezuela was seen with the intention of winning, a daring approach, deploying players with an offensive intention. Against Uruguay, he tried to show that daring face with creative flounces. That, in the end, he paid dearly with a defeat.
I think that made him think, very deep, appropriate to the logic that I speak. When we saw the approach against Argentina, he recognized that abysmal difference between the two teams. He got back, put a pragmatic, defensive approach, which also could not avoid the landslide received. Now it will be to wait how he poses it against Colombia, that will be the measure, of how much confidence there is in the process, in Venezuela and the talent of the Venezuelan.
If it is considered with a team standing behind, psyched up, with a defensive tendency, it would be necessary for him to recognize and get to know the Venezuelan soccer player. If it is proposed in a more purposeful way, moving forward, it marks us that it can be a team that can progress.
Shortcomings of the Colombian team with Rueda and in the Qualifiers
: The main concept that Colombia has lacked in Qualifying is synergy. There has not been that, in the methodological concepts that Rueda has surely tried to implement and the football that he has developed. A team with full authority on the field has not been seen, they have not found a way to unbalance and untie the defensive knots of their rivals. He had difficulty achieving serenity on that last play, despite the quality of the players.
Colombia has a dimension of elite players. Even with some in first-world European football teams. It is not justified by the results he has had in the Qualifiers.
Responsibilities in the performance of Colombia
There is no blame, it is shared responsibility. It’s not a drama, it’s football. When things don’t tune, it’s like having a different dial. The ‘F.M’ of the players has not been in tune with Reinaldo’s, with the teacher’s message. This is how the processes are explained when the results do not occur, more so when there is a lot of capacity on both sides. They did not focus the same tune, the dial of the Colombia team. Therefore, they are fighting to achieve the goal in the last game.
Colombia had to learn the lesson, again, that it has experienced with other, technical processes. Simply, you have to improve trust, it must be reciprocal. It is believing in what the coach and the player say, having that decisive capacity on the pitch.
Forecast for the match
Colombia must break with the statistics, which have not won here since the 1998 Qualifiers. That is a statistic that weighs, the Venezuelan player believes it right now, that he can beat Colombia in Puerto Ordaz. It is an issue that will be resolved on the field, statistics are there to break it or extend it. It is up to Venezuela to maintain that soccer authority that it has shown in the recent Qualifiers and for Colombia to break with that.
Giving a result goes against my vision as a technician. If Colombia comes out with the hierarchy and develops it on the pitch, they should be the winner, they are favorites. Because Venezuela is last, it has not really had two good games. This is where Venezuela must row, because it is a new process, Pékerman does not fully know his players.
We hope there are proactive approaches and that we enjoy the match, like professional men. Undoubtedly you ask me, I’m going through Venezuela.
Sergio Cortes
FUTBOLRED Editorial Office
